


A Stressful Night

by RS_98



Category: Voltron - Fandom, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-03-29 21:59:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13936278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RS_98/pseuds/RS_98
Summary: Keith couldn't sleep, he has a lot on his mind.





	1. Chapter 1

The first week he spent in the Castle of Lions, Keith couldn’t even muster to lie down on the bed. Tense and filled with leftover adrenaline after being subjected to a hairs width of what was to come. After a while he managed to sleep most nights without much interruption. The nightmares mellowing into a blur when he woke up. Tonight, was a terrible one. It wasn’t like him to not adapt to a new environment, regardless that this time it was on a whole different planet. Even when he was at the shack he was able to muster the first night in a dreamless slumber. Even so, he still woke up with a sweat on his brow and a growing restlessness that was taking over his mind. That and something else…  
Keith couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he had some free time to figure it out. Although feeling like utter shit did not really help his small dilemma. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stared at the wall for the good amount of an hour. Plainly hoping that his mind would begin to connect the dots and would be convinced that sleep was the best answer. It never did come to that, though. Even when thinking of nothing his eyes stayed alert, almost as if it was ready to search; not even a single yawn to break the silence. 

He sighs in defeat, there wasn’t any confirmation that the Alteans had any sort of medicine to help someone sleep; let alone if they have a similar physical mockup that could equate to a human medical dosage. Even thinking that made Keith’s head hurt and being in a confined space would not help. Regardless, he wasn’t going to ignore this -he thinks- gut feeling. Keith stands and grabs his jacket from the hook near the bed, lazily putting on his shoes in the process. If staring at nothing wasn’t going to do anything, then tiring himself out will. A session in the training room would do wonders in clearing up the fog. If anything, he could use this opportunity to train his reflexes a bit more without interruption now that everyone else has gone to sleep. At least, that is what Keith hopes.

So far, the castle halls don’t show any indication that someone else has passed through them. A small relief washes over, having a good confirmation that Keith doesn’t have to meet up with anyone. Granted, he doesn’t mind most of the people that he has come to know, but tonight he wasn’t that keen in striking up rather awkward conversation. Mentally cringing at the memory on how he screwed up a simple thing as saying “-tron” after Lance would say “vol”. It would have been salvageable if Keith saved face by lying and saying that he was messing with him, but that wasn’t the case. 

Keith wonders if it really was a good idea walking out in the first place and maybe he just had to wait it out for a little bit more, lying down on the bed. Because now he seems to have gotten himself lost within the halls of the castle. The necessity of so many winding hallways and rooms and foyers and whatever else was hidden in this castle was completely lost on Keith. Turning around once more, he is now fighting on whether to forego the impromptu personal training session and go back to bed or stubbornly find the training room and let out some steam from the frustration of being – rather comically- lost for so long. All of that pent-up anger immediately washed away, however, when he came to see a figure before him standing in front a door, shrouded in shadow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those who were reading and saw the tag "set in season 1" I decided to change it into a slow burn that spans through later seasons.


	2. Chapter 2

Keith didn’t really need to squint to know who it was. He hadn’t noticed that he had stopped in his tracks until he took a rather faltered step forward. The castle’s lights now shinning over him, giving the indication that Shiro might have stayed in that position without moving for a long while. Keith didn’t want to think about the implications of said discovery, but he couldn’t just leave it in the air either; not with how tense the atmosphere seemed to get.

“Shiro?” The voice barely above a whisper; equally tentative as his footsteps were becoming.

Shiro turns to the sound and immediately the lights turn on at this; even though Keith was arguably in the same radius for it to respond to his movements instead. He squints slightly, his eyes adjusting to the sudden bright light. Keith stood with about two feet of breathing room, if Shiro just needed a moment to himself. It never happens like that, but Keith always wants to make sure that every precaution is taken. It’s his most trusted friend after all, and he wants to make sure that the trust is never misplaced.

“Keith.” The voice is fond and relieved, like a breath of fresh air being introduced to carbon infested lungs. “I, uh, didn’t see you coming in.”

Keith looked back then up at the lights fixed into the walls. “I don’t quite believe that.” He meant it as a joke but it doesn’t really pass through as well as he thought it would because Shiro doesn’t see his smirk. Shiro lets out a breath and a small chuckle; the joke wasn’t lost. Keith looks back and sees that his expression betrays his action. The smile only halfway there.

“Yeah. Just been having a lot on my mind to notice you. Not that I don’t think about you at all, I do-I-ah…” He coughs abruptly with enough subtlety that wouldn’t impress anybody. “I couldn’t sleep.” It somehow managed to pass through Keith’s radar, though.

“Yeah, me neither. I was actually trying to find the training room to sort of tire myself out.”

“You mean…here?” Shiro motioned to the door in front of them and it was, in fact, the training room that eluded Keith for an hour or two. The incredulous face spoke volumes.

“Uh, yes, apparently.” Keith starts to mumble, not really concealing his voice. “Stupid castle.”

They both laugh at the comment, the tension that quietly resided between the two slowly melting away. Keith missed this. It wasn’t really too long ago that he shared a few laughs with Shiro and the rest of the crew, but this moment felt more nostalgic to him. Returning to the Garrison days whenever they met up with each other. Away from their peers and the sneering glare or Iverson’s “all seeing eye”. (Even when he had two eyes to work with, one of them would twitch.) Shiro would be challenging Keith in the simulators or vice versa. The little competition they had between them was something Keith would come to appreciate. He really did miss those days.

“Hey, Keith.” Shiro said after the small joke made it’s run. “Do you mind if I joined you in training?”

Keith was about to bring a counterargument in saying that wouldn’t it be better to just go and rest, but he held his tongue and thought better of it. Thinking that Shiro might need something to occupy his mind; away from whatever was clouding it right now. 

“Sure.” He answered instead.


	3. Chapter 3

A few vargas went by before either noticed how much they had spent in the training room. Both of them sparring the robotic gladiator that was aptly set at level 9. Both reasonably out of breath, but with energy left to spare. Shiro using his arm while Keith decided to use one of the Altean “practice” swords. Allura had said that 5 year olds can hold one without much difficulty. Keith just assumes she is saying that to mess with them. Now he is not so sure.  
Keith was rather relieved when they began to train. Shiro seemed more focused in combat now compared to the very first time they tackled the gladiator with the others. He assumed that the tension had subsided some because there was no urgency to work as a team and form Voltron. It still didn’t convince him in not checking Shiro’s state whenever they paused to add another level to the combat meter.  
Although Keith will not admit this to himself -he would deem it rather scummy if the thought ever came up-, but there was another reason lying underneath as to why he would steal quick glances over to Shiro’s general direction. Right now, however, Keith’s thoughts were starting to overflow with one question in mind that hadn’t been asked since he saw Shiro alone in the dark. They managed to defeat the gladiator in record time, so Keith took the moment where Shiro would instruct the simulator to add a level to interrupt.

“Actually, I think it’s time for us to take a break. A proper one.” Shiro looked at Keith rather breathless, panting slightly before he responded. Keith couldn’t lie that looking at the sight was mesmerizing. Even though they were a few feet away from each other.

“Yeah…I guess you’re right.” Shiro’s hand was still glowing even through he ordered the simulation to end. He used his normal hand to wipe the sweat pooling on his upper lip. Keith’s worry was nearing its zenith.

“You’re not here for the same reason I am.” Shiro scoffed slightly and looked at his galra arm, still glowing, closing it into a fist.

“No, actually, I’m not.”

“Talk to me, Shiro.” Keith sounded so much like a psychotherapist that Shiro couldn’t help but scoff in amusement.

“It’s just that I…All I’ve been remembering are the fights. Everything else has been a blur. I know I shouldn’t expect much, but…I just want to know.” He was staring at his galra arm as he said this. The glow on it had finally dissipated, returning back to normal. He looked up to Keith, with eyes that feel like they are searching for something. Like they are lost in the void, looking for a light.

“You’ll get answers soon, I know it.” Keith walked over to where Shiro was as he was kneeling to sit down on the training room floor. Keith followed suit as they looked at one another 

“If only it was easier to get them.” 

“Nothing ever is.”

“Says you. How come it was easy to befriend you back at the Garrison?” 

“Because I liked you. Still do.” Keith was not going back on his words, since they were very much true. However, the embarrassment would surely come once he sees Shiro’s reaction to his statement.

“You-uh…you really mean that?” 

“I mean, yeah. You are my best friend.” At that moment if anybody else was in the room, they would probably outwardly groan at the sorry sight. Keith would join them-as hypothetical as the thought was- but he wouldn’t go back on his statement either. However true what he said was, it doesn’t shake the guilt he has in that it doesn’t really encapsulate exactly what he truly feels. However, now is not exactly the time to say so. Not for a long while, Keith thinks.  
“Oh. Right.” If he was just a bit more intuitive, Keith would catch Shiro’s disappointment in that tone; but, then again, Shiro has perfected the art of hiding his emotions under a headstrong barrier due to his time in Galra capture. It will take something near the realms of the incredible to tear that down. Right now, however, both men are now tired from training, siting down to regain some energy. The small, almost silent, whirring of the castle enveloping the slightly awkward atmosphere that took over the conversation between the two.  
Keith is the one who stands up first with a small grunt and lends a hand for Shiro to take. He takes in gratitude expressed by a small “thanks” under his breath, before grunting himself as he made his way to a standing position. Keith wiped off the sweat of his brow as he went to grab his jacket that was thrown in order to train better. Using it to wipe the rest of his face from the pool of sweat that was forming under his lip and the tip of his chin. It was gross, Keith knows this, but he resolved that he would rather have the jacket be gross than himself. He wonders the implications of this in moral standings in the back of his mind. 

“Tired?” Shiro chirped up to add some form of conversation in response to the growing distance the silence is trying to ensue.

“Not quite. You?” Keith responds as he turns to face Shiro, jacket placed over his arm. Shiro shakes his head. “Then, wanna spar?”

“Huh?”

“You know, how we used to do back at the Garrison? Not up for it?” Keith added in understanding; alleviating any social pressure the proposition might bring. He looks at Shiro directly as he starts to smile with a warm aura surrounding it.

“Yeah. Let’s spar.”


End file.
